Aer Lingus has warned of the potential closure of its Manchester base that employed about 200 staff due to poor profitability “unrelated to the current pay dispute.”
The executive team has briefed Manchester staff on underperformance of long-haul operations compared to Ireland routes. The airline is to enter a collective consultation process with unions to explore options including base closure.
In Manchester, about 130 check-in staff and cabin crew have been staing rolling industrial action over a rejected 12pc pay rise offer. The Irish Airline Pilots’ Association comfirmed it has been notifiied of potential redundancies affecting 40 pilots at Manchester.
Aer Lingus CEO Lynne Embleton shared “This makes it difficult to justify further investment in the Manchester base and raises the question as to whether there are potentially better alternative uses of the two aircraft that are in the Manchester base.”
A memo from Aer Lingus to staff shared: Today members of the Aer Lingus Executive Team held a business briefing with all staff working at our Manchester base. Those in attendance were given a presentation on the performance of the Manchester base.
Despite all of the work and best efforts of the team, the Manchester longhaul operating margin performance continues to significantly lag behind that of Aer Lingus’s Irish longhaul operating margin. This makes it difficult to justify further investment in the Manchester base and raises the question as to whether there are potentially better alternative uses of the two aircraft that are in the Manchester base. This situation has prompted a necessary consideration of the long-term viability of the Manchester base.
Colleagues at the Manchester base were advised that we will now enter into a collective consultation process with their representatives. This process will explore all the options in respect of the base, however, staff were also advised that it will also include the possibility of a base closure.
We acknowledge and fully appreciate that this is an uncertain and difficult time for colleagues based in Manchester and we will work closely with the management team and the staff in Manchester over the coming weeks, ensuring that they are kept fully informed and supported.
